Guide

Visiting heritage sites and wildlife

How tickets, park closures and whale watching work, and how to visit with respect.

Many of the best days in Sri Lanka are at an ancient site or in the wild, and each has its own rules. They are set by the authorities and some change from year to year.

Below are the rules we have checked, each with its source and the date we checked it. For anything else we confirm the current position for your dates before we plan around it.

Ancient cities and heritage sites

The island's best-known sites are protected as World Heritage, and several are run by one public body, which also issues the tickets.

Sri Lanka has eight UNESCO World Heritage properties: six cultural (Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Kandy, the Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications, and the Dambulla Cave Temple) and two natural (the Central Highlands and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve).
Official source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.
Tickets for Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and other heritage sites are issued by the Central Cultural Fund, which also offers an online eTicket order. An order is valid for 90 days, the ticket is collected at the counter of the site and is valid for a single entry on the day, and payments are not refunded.
Official source: Central Cultural Fund (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.

National parks and seasonal closures

Parks protect wildlife, so access can change. A zone may close for part of the year, and the dates are decided by the authorities.

Yala became a national park on 25 February 1938 and is divided into five zones for administrative convenience. A Ministry of Environment document describes it as conventional practice to close the park to the public in the drought season, from 1 September to 15 October, while staff maintain ponds, roads and bungalows.
Official source: Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.
Parts of Yala National Park can close to visitors in the dry season, to protect wildlife and for maintenance. The Department of Wildlife Conservation decides this each year and the dates change, so check the current position before booking a safari.
Reported by: Newsfirst (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.

Whale and dolphin watching

Watching whales is a chance, not a promise, and how an operator behaves matters as much as the season.

Blue whales are watched off Mirissa, on the south coast, mainly between December and March, and off Trincomalee, on the east coast, mainly between March and July. Sightings are never guaranteed. Whale watching operators are licensed under national regulations, but monitoring has been reported as weak, so choose an operator with care.
Official source: IWC Whale Watching Handbook (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.
Whale and dolphin watching in Sri Lanka is regulated under the Sea Mammals Regulations of 2012. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has also published draft 2026 criteria for operators, which include no head-on approaches and a vessel speed limit of 5 knots near the animals.
Official source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.

Temples, customs and the law

Many sites are places of worship, so dress and behave as a guest. A few rules are enforced strictly.

Tattoos showing the Buddha are considered offensive in Sri Lanka, and foreign visitors with them have been expelled from the country. Using a drone needs authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority. Drug laws are very strict.
Official source: Viaggiare Sicuri, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (opens in a new tab). Checked on October 11, 2026.